Urban water security: A review

Abstract

We review the increasing body of research on urban water security. First, we reflect on the four different focusses in water security literature: welfare, equity, sustainability and water-related risks. Second, we make an inventory of the multiple perspectives on urban water security: disciplinary perspectives (e.g. engineering, environmental, public policy, public health), problem-oriented perspectives (e.g. water shortage, flooding, water pollution), goal-oriented perspectives (e.g. better water supply and sanitation, better sewerage and wastewater treatment, safety from flooding, proper urban drainage), integrated-water versus water-integrated perspectives, and policy analytical versus governance perspectives. Third, we take a systems perspective on urban water security, taking the pressure-state-impact-response structure as an analytical framework and link that to the 'urban water transitions framework' as proposed by Brown et al (Water. Sci. Technol. 59 2009). A systems approach can be helpful to comprehend the complexity of the urban system, including its relation with its (global) environment, and better understand the dynamics of urban water security. Finally, we reflect on work done in the area of urban water security indices.

Balancing security, resilience, and sustainability of urban water supply systems in a desirable operating space

“…While the security, resilience, and sustainability (SRS) of urban systems are set as targets for policy and strategic management efforts [10,15], they remain the subject of on-going scientific debate and agreed-upon methods to measure their attainment are lacking [6,16,17]. For example, definitions relating to urban resilience and sustainability have been criticized as vague [3].…”

Urban water systems: Development of micro-level indicators to support integrated policy

“…We adopt a systems approach to the development of indicators as urban water security is affected by many interrelated mechanisms resulting in a high degree of complexity and the systems approach can help to provide clarity on these interactions and the underlying causal relationships [23][24][25]. We focus on individual indicators and how they interact in the context of IUWM interventions, using a dashboard approach and calculating a simple unweighted index.…”

Urban water security - what does it mean?

“…On first inspection, it is difficult to see clarity and consistency of language in the discussions on water security, let alone for urban water security - Garrick and Hall (2014) found both 'convergence and confusion about the concept', while Bogardi et al (2016) suggest that contradictory definitions and interpretations have prevented progress towards a common understanding. Hoekstra et al (2018) expect there should be different definitions according to the goal and Zeitoun et al (2013) go so far as to suggest that we should 'refrain from seeking a perfect singular definition of water security'. What is clear, is that the term 'water security' continues to increase in usage in the academic literature and is a growing area of interest but there is little interest in the urban context (Cook and Bakker 2013).…”

“…There has been much written on water security including reviews of the history, language and definitions (Giordano 2017;Cook and Bakker 2012;Garrick and Hall 2014;Beck and Villarroel Walker 2013;Lankford et al 2013;Pahl-Wostl, Bhaduri, and Gupta 2016;Gerlak et al 2018;Zeitoun et al 2016;Hoekstra, Buurman, and van Ginkel 2018). The concept and language of water security has been in use for many years, with references made at least as far back as 1933 to water-borne infections that 'came to threaten the water security of part of London' (British Medical Association 1933).…”

“…Some comment that common usage was only embraced after the Ministerial Declaration of The Hague on Water Security in the 21 st Century at the 2nd World Water Forum in Netherlands in 2000 (Clement 2013;Bogardi, Spring, and Brauch 2016). Hoekstra et al (2018) discuss the transition from language around integrated and sustainable water management, into the new language of water security. While other reviews note the absence of any definitions or clarifications of language (Clement 2013;Cook and Bakker 2016), even when reporting on research into complex water security assessment and modelling (Nazif et al 2013;Esmail and Geneletti 2017).…”